Press



Nov. 3, 1964 A. w. scHuL-rz PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1962 55 ma L-362 62' INVENTOR.

Z. u U E H N C ,f 31m w. A D.

PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. W. SCHULTZ Y IIIII!! INVENTOR.

ALFRED W. SCHULTZ 'im @wa ATTO NEYS Nov. 3, 1964 Filed April 18, 1962 Nov. 3, 1964 Filed April 18, 1962 A. W. SCHULTZ PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BALFRED W. SC LTZ.

ATTO NEYS Nov. 3, 1964 A. w. SCHULTZ 3,154,977

` PRESSv Filed April 18, 1962 4 sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR.

ALFRED W. SCLTZ' BWM J /W #je/W2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O M 3,154,977 PRESS Alfred W. Schultz, Cleveland Heights, hio, assigner to The Cleveland Crane z Engineering Company, Wickliie, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 188,464 8 Claims. (Cl. '7S- 13) The present invention relates to metal working and more particularly to the manufacture of articles wherein a blank is subjected lto one or more dieing operations.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a novel yand improved apparatus for supporting a die or la series of dies for successive presentation to a loading station and one or more working stations wherein one or more dieing operations are performed upon a blank in the die or dies comprising a member supporting a die carrier for intermittent rotation or oscillation about an axis and for linear movement in a direction lengthwise or parallel of the same axis.

Another of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved apparatus comprising a power reciprocated punch holder having one or a series of punches attached 4thereto for performing one or la series of dieing operations upon a succession of articles in cooperation with a series of dies arranged in a closed path and carried by a die .holder or carrier indexed in timed relation to the reciprocation of the punch holder whereby the dies carried by the die `holder are indexed successively through loading, workin-g `and ejecting stations and which apparatus is relatively inexpensive to construct and operate and extremely reliable :and eiiicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of the character referred to especially adapted lto heavy work and wherein the working station or stations are on, near or symmetrically arranged about a center line or center plane of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is the provision of lan apparatus of the character referred to wherein the die carrier or holder, in addition to being indexible angularly about an axis extending lengthwise of `the path of reciprocation or" the punch holder, is movable a predetermined linear distance with the punch holder and returned to starting position upon each complete reciprocation ofthe punch holder.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of the character referred 4to wherein the indexible die carrier or holder is one of a plurality of similar die holders operatively associated together so that they are indexed and reciprocated, as previously mentioned, in timed relation to one another.

lthe line 2 2 of FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view with portions in elevation approximately on the line .3-3 of FIG. 2; and

y FlG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational lView of the press lshown in FIG. 1 with parts broken away and in a ditferent operating position.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternate constructions, the present preferred 3,154,977 Patented Nov. 3., 1964 ICC embodiment is shown in the drawings and herein described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the apparatus shown, but it is the intention to cover hereby any and all embodiments of the invention herein disclosed and/or coming within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown therein comprises a frame, including a bed 10, a plate 11 on the top of the bed 1li, a plurality of vertical side members 12, 13 extended upwardly of the bed 10, and a crown 14 connected to the upper ends of the side members. The crown 14; supports operating mechanism, designated generally by the reference character A, for reciprocating a punch slide or carrier 15 slidably supported by suitable ways on the sides of the members 12 and 13 facing one another for linear reciprocation towards and from the plate 11. The mechanism A, for reciprocating the punch slide, may be of any suitable construction.

The mechanism shown is of the crank actuated togglepitrnan type, well known in the art, and will not be described in detail. Suffice it to say that the pitman mechanism, shown, is generally similar to that shown and described in considerable detail in Dehn et al. United States Patent No. 2,947,273.

In addition to the parts of the apparatus shown and heretofore referred to, all of which are more or less conventional in construction, the present apparatus includes two similar sets of tools each comprising a plurality of dies, pins or anvils, and punches located as respective loading, working, ejecting and/or idle stations of which there are two sets of six in the embodiment shown, but the number of which may be varied, as required. The pins are carried by the plate 11, the punches by a punch plate 18 connected to the underside of the punch slide 15 and the dies by a die assembly, designated generally by the reference character B. In view of the fact that the two sets of tools are similar in construction and operation and are supported in a similar manner, merely the left-hand set, ask shown in the drawings, is herein shown and described in detail. The parts of the right-hand set of tools are designated by the same reference characters as used to designate the corresponding parts of the lefthand set, but have a prime mark affixed thereto.

The left-hand set of tools comprises a series of six dies 2li-25 supported in an indexible die carrier 26 rotatably supported in the member 11 in a manner hereinafter described and provided with guard means comprising a closed irregular-shaped member Sil, the cross-sectional of which is generally L-shaped, and a cover plate 31 bolted thereto. The members 30, 31 form an assembly having an inwardly facing channel or channels 32 into which peripherial portions of the indexible carriers 26, 26' project.

The dies 2li-25 are cylindrical in shape and are posi- The dies are prevented from dropping through theholes in the carrier 26 by annular flanges projecting outwardly from the upper ends of the dies. The dies are retained in the carrier Zogby-a plurality of plate-like members til-45 interposed between adjacent dies and detachably bolted to the carrier 26. yThe plate-like members have portions thereof overlying the flanges of the respective dies between which they are interposed. The periphery of the carrier 26 has a series of gear teeth 48 formed thereon constantly in mesh with a driving wide faced spurl gear type pinion SQlixed to a shaft 51 rotatably supported in a housing 52 connected to the plate or member 11. l

The shaft Slis adapted to be intermittently rotated in timed relation tothe operation ofthe punch slide 15 of` ithe press by a mechanical drive shown in the drawings and designated generally by the reference character D. The drive D includes a continuous-to-intermittent rotation apparatus of commercial construction, designated 53, connected to the press actuating mechanism by means iucluding the vertical shaft 54 and to the shaft 51 by a horizontal shaft S5, the right-hand end of which latter shaft is rotatably supported in the housing 52 which supports the saft 51. The shafts 51, 55 are connected by a worm and worm wheel drive.

The die carrier 26 is detachably connected to the upper end of a vertical shaft rotatably supported by suitable anti-friction tapered roller bearings in the interior of a vertically positioned member 61 counterbored from the top and slidably supported by suitable sleeve bearings in a stationary sleeve 62 detachably bolted to the plate 11. The lower end of the shaft 6h, member 6l and sleeve 62 project into the upper end of a counterbore aperture 63 in the plate 11. The lower end of the aperture 63 forms the cylinder of a reciprocating type iluid actuated combination piston and cylinder arrangement of which the member 61 having its lower end closed, constitutes the piston part. The lower end of the aperture 62 is adapted to be supplied with air under pressure through a conduit 64 for the purpose of moving or biasing the piston member 60 and in turn the die carrier 26, and the other parts of the die assembly B reciprocate with the die assembly, in an upwardly direction. Upward movement of the die assembly B is limited by the engagement of a flange on the lower end of the piston member 61 with the lower end of the sleeve 62. The die carrier 26 is connected to a similar combination piston and cylinder assembly.

Blanks to be operated on are fed to the die in the loading station, that is, the station in which die 2) is located as shown in FIG. 2, by an operator or by a mechanical feeding apparatus located at the rear of the press, as viewed in FIGS. l and 2, inserting blanks successively into a series of apertures '7S-74 in a blank feeder plate rotatably supported on a stationary plate 7 6 connected to the under side of the member 30. The apertures 7 @-74 are symmetrically arranged about the axis of rotation of the plate 75, the periphery of which is provided with a plurality of gear teeth 7? in mesh with the gear 59, previously referred to. The blanks are dropped into the apertures 'Titi-74 in the plate 7S as they are successively indexed by the gear 50 into a position directly underneath an aperture in a plate S1 located above the plate 75 and to which the plate 76 is connected by an upwardly extending ange 82 on a portion of its periphery. The plate 81 is located below the member 30 and is connected thereto, where the member 30 overlies the periphery of the plate S1, by vertical flange or member 82.

Upon each intermediate rotation of gear 56, the feed plate 75 is rotated 72 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, to slide the blanks in the apertures in the feed plate 75 over the stationary plate 76 towards the die loading station, that is, the station occupied by the die 29, in FIG. 2. It takes two indexing operations to move a blank from the aperture Sil in the plate 8l to a position concentric with the die in the loading station where it drops through an aperture 85 in the plate 76 and onto the upper end of a tool or pin 86 lixedly secured to the plate 11. A downwardly extending flange 87 on the underside of the plate '76 surrounds the upper end of the pin 86 and helps to maintain theplate 76 in fixed relation to the rst or die loading station. Concurrently with the indexing of the feed plate 75, the die carrier 26 is indexed 60 upon each indexing operation to advance the dies successively through the idle, working and ejection stations shown, and return them to the loading station.

From the foregoingit will be apparent that for each Vreciprocation of the punch slide 15 the blank feeding plate 'l5 will be indexed to move a new blank into the first or loading station, assuming that blanks are being successively fed to the apertures 70-74 in the feeding plate 75, and that the die carrier 26 will be simultaneouslyV rotated 60 to carry the dies supported thereby through the six stations shown.

Blanks are fed to the right-hand series of dies 202S by the blank feeding plate 75 which is provided with a second series of apertures 7t'-'74, spaced radially inwardly of the first series, and adapted to successively align with the dies 12W-25 While in their loading station. The blanks are fed to the apertures 717-74 through an aperture Sti' in the plate S1 and upon each indexing operation successive blanks are moved to the feeding station, that is, the station occupied by the die 20', shown in FIG. 2.

In the interim between successive indexing operations of the blank feeder plate 75'and the die carriers 26-26, the punch slide 15 is reciprocated towards and from the plate 11 to bring the punches carried thereby and located in the various working stations into cooperating engagement with the dies and pins at the respective stations and return the, same to idle position to permit the next indexing operation.

Upon rcciprocation of the punch slide 15, downward movement of the punch slide causes an adjustable abutment asseinbly 90 connected to the punch carrier 1S concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft 60 or more specically two such assemblies, one concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft 6G and the other with the axis of rotation of the shaft 60 to engage the center por tions of the die carriers 26, 26' and effect downward movement of the die assembly B upon continued downward movement of the punch slide l5. The approximate down position of the die assembly B is shown in FIG. 4.

Ars. the die assembly B moves downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 4, a blank W on top of the pin 86, in the lirst or loading station, is pushed into a central reduced section of the die cavity 96 and located approximately in the center thereof by the pin 86 and a punch 97 at the leading station and connected to and carried by the punch carrier 18. The lower end of the punch 97 projects into the central por-V tion'95 of the cavity 96 in the die through the upper portion 9h of the cavity which upper portion 9S is of reduced diameter relative to the diameter of the cavity proper and the central section 95. In the embodiment shownthe punch 97 does some initial forming on the blank in the die in the loading station thus causing the blank to be wedged in the die and retained therein upon retraction of the pin 86 and the punch 97. Upon the upward or return movement or" the punch slide, the die assembly moves upwardly under the action of the iluid in the cylinder 63 and carries the die to a position free of the pin 86.' Continued upward movement of the punch slide 15 withdraws the punch from the die cavity leaving the blank wedged in the die. The die carrier 26 is subsequently indexed to advance the die and the blank therein to the next or second station.

VIn the embodiment of the invention shown, the second station, that is, fthe station occupied 4by the die 21. as viewed in FIG. 2, kis an idle station. This station can be used for either performing an operation on the blank or for some other operation such as feeding an auxiliary blank to the die positioned therein.

Ln the embodiment of the invention shown, the third station, that is, the station occupied by the die 22, as viewed in `lEIG. 2, is a workingstation and includes a pin or anvil member Mill detachably connected -t0= a plate f 191 which isin turn detachably connected to the platte` In addition to the pin or tool 190, the plate 101 11. carries a plurality of guide pins 102., 103 extending upwardly therefrom and engaging within the lower ends of tubular guide members ttl-fl, ltS, respectively, pro- .jecting downwardly from a plate 166 connected to the Y unch carrier 18. The plate H26 also carries a punchV H97 which cooperates with the Vdiethen located in the station and the pin 10@ to perform a dieing loperation upon the blank in lthe die upon the next reciprocation of the punch slide 15. The guide rods 162, 103 and the guide tubes 104, 105 assist in aligning the pin 169 and the punch 107 in this, the working station.

The next or fourth station shown, is the ejection station wherein the blank is ejected from the die therein into chu-te 103 by a punch 110 carried by the punch carrier 18. The fifth and sixth stations are cleanout and lubricating stations, respectively. It will be noted that the dies in the two working stations, fthat is, in the first or loading station and -in the third station, are on the centerline of the press, shown in FIG. 2 by the dot-dash-dot line 109.

The width of the `face of the fear 50 is such that the teeth on the peripheries of the die carriers 26 and the blank feeding plate 75 remain in mesh with i-t at all times during the press operation. The die carrier 26 is indexed in synchronism with the die carrier 26 by having its peripheral gear teeth 48 continuously in mesh with the teeth 4S on the die carrier 26.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the objects and advantages heretofore enumerated as well as others have been achieved, and that there has been provided an improved appar-tus for supporting -a die or a series of dies for successive presentation to a loading station and one or more working stations, etc.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described in considerable detail, as previously mentioned, the invention is not limited to the constructions shown and referred to, and it is the intention to cover hereby all adaptations and modifications thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Having thus -described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a press having a linearly movable first member provided with a first tool, a stationary second member provided with a second tool in alignment with said first tool and a die having an aperture extending therethrough, said ytools and die cooperating to performa dieting operation on a workpiece and means for effecting linear movement of the first member toward and from said second member, apparatus supporting a die comprising: a die carrier; means for supporting said die carrier between said first and second members for rotation about an axis parallel with the direction of linear movement of the first provided with a second tool in alignment with said firstv -tool and a die having an aperture extending therethrough, ,l t.

said tools and die cooperating to perform a dieing operation on a workpiece and means for effecting linear movement of the first member toward and from said second member, apparatus supporting a die comprising: a die carrier; means for supporting said die carrier between v said first and second members for rotation about an axis parallel with the direc-tion of linear movement of the first member and for linear movement lengthwise of the axis of rotation of said die carrier; means for moving said die carrier along the path of said linear movement in the direction toward the first member; and means for feeding blanks to the die from the side thereof adjacent to the second member.

3. In a press having a linearly movable first member provided with a first series of uniformly spaced tools arranged in an arc, a stationary second member provided with a second series of tools aligned with a plurality of said tools of said first series, a plurality of dies having apertures therethrough cooperating with the tools in the performance of working operations on work blanks, and means for effecting linear movement of the rst member toward and from the second member, apparatus supporting the dies for sequential presentation to the tools comprising: a die carrier; means supporting said die carrier for rotation about an axis concentric with the center of the are about which the tools are arranged; means supporting said die earlier for linear movement lengthwise of the axis of rotation of said die carrier; means for moving said die carrier along said axis toward the first member; means for limiting said movement of said die carrier toward the first member, and means for intermittently rotating said die carrier successively in the same direction to sequentially position the dies carried thereby between aligned tools.

4. In a press having a linearly movable first member provided with a first series of uniformly spaced tools arranged in an arc, a stationary second member provided wi-th -a second series of tools .aligned with a plurality of said tools of said first series, a plurality of dies having apertures therethrough cooperating the tools in the performance of Working operation on work blanks, and means for effecting linear movement of the first member toward and from the second member, apparatus supporting the dies for sequential presentation to the tools comprising: a die carrier, means supporting said die carrier for rotation about an axis concentric with the center of the arc about which the tools are arranged; means supporting said die carrier for linear movement lengthwise of the axis of rotation of said die carrier; means for moving said die carrier along said axis. toward the first member; means for limiting said movement of said die carrier toward 4the first member; means -for intermittently rotating said die carrier successively in the same direction to sequentially position the dies carried thereby between aligned tools and means for feeding work blanks to the sides of the die-s adjacent tothe second member, said last named means including a plate-like member located at the side of said die carrier adjacent to the second member and having an aperture therein with which the apertures in the dies successively align as said die carrier is intermittently rotated, and means for intermittently positioning a workpiece over said aperture in said plate-like member in timed relation to said intermittent movement of said die carrier.

5. In a press: a linearly movable first member adapted to be provided with a first tool; a stationary second member adapted to be provided with a second tool in axial alignment with the tool carried by said first member;

a die carrier adapted to be provided with a series of dies for sequential cooperation with the too-ls carried by said first and second members and having apertures extending therethrough; means effecting relative linear movement of said first member toward and from said second member lengthwise of said axis of rotation of said die carrier; means supporting said die carrier in said second member for rotation between said rst and second members about an axis parallel with said movement of said first member and lfor linear movement lengthwise of said axis of rotation of said die carrier; means for moving said die carrier toward said first member; means limiting said movement of said die carrier toward said first member; means for feeding workpiece-s to the sides of the dies adjacent the second member; said last-named means including a plate-like member supported by the side of said die carrier adjacent tothe second member and having an aperture therein with which the apertures in the dies are adapted to be aligned; means intermittently rotating said die carrier in timed relation to said movement of said rst member to position dies' carried thereby between said tools and above said aperture in said plate-like member; means for intermittently positioning a workpiece over said aperture in said plate-like member in timed relatio-n to said intermittent rotation of said die carrier; means for transferring a workpiece from said plate-like member to'a die in said die carrier aligned ywith the aperture in said plate-like member; and means for ejecting said Workpieces from the sides of said dies adjacent said second member.

6. In a press: a linearly movable iirst member adapted to be provided with a iirst series of uniformly spaced tools arranged in an arc; a stationary second member adapted to :be provided With a second series of tools in axial alignment with the tool carried by said iirst member; means eliecting relative reciprocal movement of said rst member toward and from said second member; a die carrier adapted yto be provided with a series of dies for cooperation with said tools carried by said iirst and second members and having an aperture extending therethrough; means supporting said die carrier in said second member for rotation between said rst and second members and for linear movement relative to said second member lengthwise of the axis of rotation of the die carrier; means for moving said die carrier relative to] said second member in the direction toward said first member; means limiting said movement of said die carrier in said second member toward said iirst member; means for feeding workpieces to the sides of the dies adjacent the second member; said last-named means including a plate-like member located at the side of said die carrier adjacent to the second member and having an aperture therein with which the apertures in the dies are adapted to be aligned; means intermittently rotating said die carrier in timed relation to the reciprocation of Said first member to position dies carried thereby between said tools and above said aperture in said plate-like member; means for intermittently positioning a workpiece over said aperture in said plate-like member in timed relation to said intermittent rotation of said die carrier; and means for transferring a workpiece from said plate-like member to a die in said die carrier aligned with the aperture in said plate-like member.

7. In a press: a iirst member adapted to be provided with first and second spaced tools; a seco-nd member adapted to be provided with third and fourth spaced tools aligned with tools of said irst and second series, respectively; means for reciprocating said iirst member toward and from said second member; a pair of die carriers each adapted to be provided with a series of dies having apertures therethrough and cooperating with said tools and for linear movement relative to said second member lengthwise of said axis; means for moving said die carriers relative to said second member toward said first member; means for limiting said'movement of said die carriers in said second member toward said first member; means for feeding work blanks to the sides of the dies carried -by said die carriers adjacent to said second member; said last-named means including a platelike member located at the sides of said die carriers adjacent to -said second member and having a plurality of apertures therein with which apertures the dies in the rrespective die carriers are adapted to beraligned; means intermittently rotating said die carriers in timed relation to the reciprocation of said first member to position dies carried thereby between said tools of said series with which they are concentrically supported and above one of said apertures in said plate-like member; a rotatable disk-like member located between said lirst plate-like member and said die carriers having a plurality of apertures therein adapted to be aligned with said apertures in said plate-like member; means for intermittently rotating said disk-like member in timed relation to the reciprocation of said iirst member to locate Work blanks positioned -in said apertures therein above said apertures in said plate-like member; and means for transferring work blanks positioned over said apertures in said plate-like member to dies in said die carriers aligned with said apertures in timed relation to said reciprocation of said first member.

8. In a press: a first member adapted to be provided with rst and seocnd spaced series of tools having the tools of the respective series uniformly spaced with respect to one another and arranged in an arc; a second member adapted to be provided with third and fourth spaced series of tools at least a plurality of which are aligned with tools of said first and second series, respectively; means for reciprocating said first member toward and from said second member; a pair of die carriers each adapted to be provided with a series of dies having apertures therethrough and cooperating with said tools of one of said aligned series of tools to perform dieing operations upon a work blank; means supporting each of said die carriers in said second member for rotation between one of said aligned series of tools concentric with the axis about which said tools are arranged and for linear movement relative to said second member lengthwise of said axis; means for moving said die carriers relative to said second member toward said first member; means for limiting said movement of said die carriers in said second member ltoward said first member; means for feeding work blanks to the sides of the dies carried by said die carriers adjacent Vto said second member; said last-named means including a plate-like member located at the sides of said die carriers adjacent to said second member and having a plurality of apertures therein with which apertures the dies in the respective die carriers are adapted to be aligned; means intermittently rotating said die carriers in timed relation to the reciprocation of said kirst member to position dies carried thereby between said tools of said series with which they are concentrically supported and above one of said apertures in said platelike member; a rotatable disk-like member located between said iirst plate-like member and said die carriers having a plurality of apertures therein adapted to be aligned with said apertures in said plate-like member; means -for intermittently rotating said disk-like member in timed relation to the reciprocation of said iirst member to locate work blanks positioned in said apertures therein above said apertures in said plate-like member; and means Vfor transferring work 'blanks positioned over said apentures in said plate-like member to dies in said die carriers aligned with said apertures in timed relation to said reciprocation of said first member.

References'Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bauer Aug, 21,1956 

1. IN A PRESS HAVING A LINEARLY MOVABLE FIRST MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A FIRST TOOL, A STATIONARY SECOND MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A SECOND TOOL IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FIRST TOOL AND A DIE HAVING AN APERTURE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, SAID TOOLS AND DIE COOPERATING TO PERFORM A DIEING OPERATION ON A WORKPIECE AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING LINEAR MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST MEMBER TOWARD AND FROM SAID SECOND MEMBER, APPARATUS SUPPORTING A DIE COMPRISING: A DIE CARRIER; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID DIE CARRIER BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL WITH THE DIRECTION OF LINEAR MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST MEMBER AND FOR LINEAR MOVEMENT LENGTHWISE OF THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID DIE CARRIER; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DIE CARRIER ALONG THE PATH OF SAID LINEAR MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION TOWARD THE FIRST MEMBER; AND MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY ROTATING SAID DIE CARRIER SUCCESSIVELY IN THE SAME DIRECTION. 